Portraits

 A PORTRAIT of the Great I AM, The King of Kings, The Lord of Lords, The Creator God of the Universe.

"His appearance was marred more than any man and His form more than the sons of men." . . . "He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should we attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face, He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

"Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried. Yet we ourselves esteemed Him smitten of God and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities, the chastening of our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him."

"PRAISE THE SAVIOR , YE WHO KNOW HIM! WHO CAN TELL HOW MUCH WE OWE HIM? LET US GLADLY RENDER TO HIM ALL WE ARE AND HAVE."

A PORTRAIT of the Smitten One, the Despised One, the Pierced One, the Scourged One, the Crushed One.

"Stop weeping, behold the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome . . ." And they sang a new song, saying, 'Worthy art Thou to take the book and to break its seals, for Thou wast slain, and didst purchase for God with Thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And Thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth. . ."Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing"

"BEFORE THE THRONE MY SURETY STANDS, BEFORE THE THRONE MY SURETY STANDS, MY NAME IS WRITTEN ON HIS HANDS,"

Big Deal

 Sabbath at The Acres.

It began as most days begin now. Lying on my bed in the dark, silent, meditating. Then, I post the thoughts given me on facebook. Then, from the thoughtful to the mundane--Homesteader reminding me that the most important creature in the house is not the human. Don't you hate it when an animal's natural self-centeredness conflicts with your human "it's all about me" self-centeredness?

I had a marvelous visit with a former student this morning, Reed Klass. I hate to use the term "former student." They are truthfully just students who no longer come to class. He works in DC now, and has, for some reason wanted to stop by and take pictures of The Acres and the old man who hides out there. So today we made it happen; well, Reed made it happen. He took some photographs with this ancient camera that requires the eye of the photographer even more than the mechanics of the camera. Fascinating! Photos were taken inside the cave and out in the meadow. We reminisced about school, what his family was up to, change, the beauty of the Creation. I gave him a couple Wendell Berry books to his delight, I think. Reed was always a critical thinker and writer, committed to excellence in all things.. I have three "snapshots" of him that stand out in my memories: his sitting in the front left corner of AP English, mind obviously at work, reflecting; his singing and dancing "If I Was a Rich Man" at senior night--I believe--for the drama department, and my offering to leave him the tie I was wearing at his class's graduation. I blew the chance today, eh? "I'll get it to you some way my young friend." Do not panic--the pursuit of art and beauty and excellence is alive and well in the next generation.

The rest of the day was spent reading, responding to other "former" students on message and texts. That reading part was tough to do. The communications? Friendship, literature, poetry--what you would expect, right? Dishes need to still be done, papers to grade--I'll get right on those, I promise.

The bright, beautiful sunny mid-morning and early afternoon has turned hazy. The moon was fighting the clouds as I again traversed the driveway in the darkness to take the trash to the end of the driveway. Some have said that snow is coming. I hope it's an all--nighter so I can sit in the doorwindow and watch it soften the dark landscape of The Acres into a deep white serenity. What's sleep when you can watch The Artist slowly brush in the beauty of winter?

God has blessed me with another day--an e.e. cummings splendiferous day. I thank Him once again for "the many forms of love He bears." Oh, you say, it was wondrous for everyone. What's the big deal? The big deal? He wrapped up this wondrous day for me, gave me the eyes to see it, the heart to love it, and His presence was the wrapping paper. Big deal.

He Is

 HE IS our Very Present Help in Time of Trouble; our Shelter in the Time of Storm; our Rock, our Good Shepherd; our Deliverer; our Garrison; our Refuge; our Defender of our Life; our Keeper; our Immanuel.

"Safe am I, safe am I in the hollow of His hand." "Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change, and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though the waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride."

HE IS our Captain, the Captain of the Lord's Angel Armies; our Shield; our King of Kings; our Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

Greater is He who is in me, than He who is in the world. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. I shall not fear what man can do to me..

HE IS our Righteousness; our Savior; our Redeemer; our Water and Bread of Life; our Dwelling Place; our Chief Cornerstone; our Advocate; our Cup and our Inheritance; our True Vine; our Pardoning God; our Atoning Sacrifice

"More secure is no one ever than the loved one of the Savior." "With a love that cannot cease, i am His and He is mine." "My hope has found a resting place."

Struggle and Rest

 I struggle--and rest tonight

In the arms of the Architect of Heaven and Earth

In the heart of One who took on human flesh, who chose not to be just the God of Sympathy but the God of Empathy

In the love of the One who knows my frame is but dust and calls me brother and son.

In the tender-hearted One of tender-persuasion, consolation, mercy and all-sufficient grace

In the felt presence of the Ever-Faithful One, my Father in Heaven

In the care of the Great Physician

Wrapped in the plans of the One who does all things well

Embraced in the arms of my gentle Shepherd who leadeth me

In the encouragement of the One who gladly takes my every care as

His own, who comes alongside of me and takes my burden, my

yoke, on His shoulders, with meekness and lowliness of heart

The struggle is so that I might over and over again find Him faithful and true.

The Rest is so that I might rejoice, be strengthened and uplifted, by the intercessory prayers of those who hold me before His throne in the loving unity of the bonds of Christ.

Will you join me in surrendering to the struggles that reveal to you His faithfulness?

Will you join me in resting in the sweet incense of the prayers lovingly presented on your behalf before the very throne of your God?

Who is like Jehovah?

Though Dead

 One of my favorite verses in the Bible (okay, I have a lot of them) is Hebrews 11:4 "By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks."

It's that last part that always encourages and challenges me. The living need to stop and meditate on the truth that when God takes us home, our voice still speaks. Perhaps it's so obvious that we skim right over its significance. The message of the things that mattered the most to us on our earthly journey will never be silenced. I think about that often when friends and family that I love are taken Home. Reflect a moment. Will Tom's love for WC and its mission to eternally impact students for Christ ever stop speaking? He speaks every day in the halls of WC. Will Miriam's deep love for Christ and the joy of her personal relationship with Him ever stop echoing through the halls of WC? Never. Will my good friend Randy's love for bringing lost souls to Christ ever cease to encourage others to be a daily witness for his Savior? Not a chance. The testimony of your life and mine will never cease. What will it say? "Abel, though dead, still speaks."

Full Circle

 And so it comes full circle. Forty years ago--a biblical generation, no less--a single father and his two little boys, nine and five, faced their first Thanksgiving as the Iten Boys. What to do? A turkey was way too much for three and not a fam favorite anyway. We could have gone to Mom and Pops and the Lemons I suppose--I don't remember all the details, but we wanted our Thanksgiving. Or at least that's how Dad recalls it. Solution: A Duck Thanksgiving--dark meat, small but enough for three, add in all the trimmings, and a tradition was established.

So in a little house--perfect for three as well--provided almost for nothing by Aunt Janice/sister Janice--the celebration began. In a home--it will always be more than a house--on a loop on the outskirts of Traveler's Rest, South Carolina, a young father and his two little sons gave thanks for God's provision and for each other. The aroma of roast duck, potatoes and gravy, green-bean casserole, buttered corn, dressing, and croissant rolls wafted through the little home mingling with the laughter and love of the Iten Boys. And, no doubt, driving the cats insane.

Now, having moved through many places, missed on occasion, menu changes--except the duck, of course--it comes to an end as it began. Three Iten boys, in a home in the country, a menu of duck and the "fixins," the cat, conversation filled with love, and laughter--Thanksgiving at its best. Possible only by the grace of God and His provision year after year, decade after decade, through our biblical generation. To you Father we give our thanks with cheerful hearts, lovely memories, and confident grace. Thank you, Abba Father!

Thankful

 "In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

1. I am thankful for saving grace, empowering grace, sustaining grace.

2. I am thankful for all those who daily pray for me and encourage me taking me into the very throne room of God for His help and mercy. I can feel the strength of your prayers and rest in that strength.

3. I am thankful that God placed me in family centered on the love and majesty of God. A family that shows that love to me to this very day.

4. I am thankful that Brad and Ben and Mindy May are coming to The Acres for the Iten family Thanksgiving Duck celebration.

5. I am thankful for God's gift to me of The Acres in these last years of my life and the honor of sharing them with Mom.

6. I am thankful that God resists the proud and lavishes them with the gift of a broken heart.

7. I am thankful for good friends who endure my ramblings and spend the gift of time and laughter in my presence. They are my pillars. I think Buzz was right on when he said that God brought me back to WC this fall knowing I would not finish but knowing how much I would need my WC family's love and support on the final leg of my journey.

10. I thank God for the gift of writing, the prodding and guidance of the Spirit as I share His work in my life, and the "thing" gift that Larry and Chloe gave me to make it all possible.

11. I am thankful for more rain (sorry) so that my pond will be deep enough to keep the goldfish from freezing this winter.

12. I am thankful for Tom Hayer the Good Samaritan of Iten's Acres--possibly of all central Ohio.

13. I am thankful that God delivered Brad from the ravages of cancer as the littlest child and of the strong man God has formed him into being in his lifelong struggle with its side effects--and yet, so gentle and kind.

14. I am thankful for the beauty of the Backroads of Morrow County year around.

15. I am thankful for all those things that enrich our lives--flowers, music, soul books, soft conversations, gentle touches, baseball, another new day to touch others with His love for them.

16. I am thankful that I grew up in a small little town, Wellston, Missouri, where everyone knew everyone else and everyone was truly a neighbor.

17. I am thankful that God has enabled me to reunite with my cousins and deep friends the Ziff family in these last few years. How much richer they have made my life!

18. I am thankful for the administration at WC and their unfaltering dedication to service for the King and not men.

19. I am thankful for the love of my students.

20. I am thankful that I will soon see Him face-to-face. How can it be?

The Story of a Song

 A Story for Moms:

A mother came across a poem attributed to Rhea Miller and was touched by its message. She put a copy of the poem on the piano knowing that her musically gifted son would read it. When he sat down on the piano bench and read the words, he immediately put the poem to music:

"I'd rather have Jesus than anything,

I'd rather be his than have riches untold,

I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands,

I'd rather be led by His nail-scarred hands.

"I'd rather have Jesus than man's applause.

I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause,

I'd rather have Jesus than world-wide fame,

I'd rather be true to His holy name.

"He's fairer than lilies of richest bloom,

He's sweeter than honey from out the comb

He's all that my hungry spirit needs,

I'd rather have Jesus and let Him lead.

"Than to be the king of a vast domain,

Or be held in sin's dread sway,

I'd rather have Jesus than anything

The world affords today."

He also dedicated his musical talents to be used to glorify God and not the applause of men. The son's name? George Beverly

Shea.

Ah, the contagion of a mom's loving heart.

Care to sing along with me?

Victory Over Fear

 Hebrews 2:14-15

"Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself, likewise also partook of the same, that through His death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might deliver those who through the fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives."

Unregenerate men spend their lives slaves to the fear of death. His master--the liar and destroyer--uses it to enslave and control him. One of the most sobering confessions in the best selling book Being Mortal is the author's admittance that man doesn't even know why decay and death exists. Having denied the existence of the Holy God and the wages of--the very existence of sin--death is a mystery to them, and so they struggle to attack it, to seek cures for a humanly incurable disease--sin. They know it is inexorable, inescapable, and no respecter of persons. They are "on the list." And even more alarming is that it may come for them "accidentally." They fear that over which they have no control.

And they know that after death there is a judgment. As Paul reveals to us in Romans, the existence of the Creator God to whom they will be accountable is undeniable--the majesty of His creation, the complex simplicity of its interdependence, the power it demonstrates all cry out to every man, "I AM." Each has been born with a conscience as well. He enters the world knowing that there is a right and wrong and that right and wrong are not a construct of the human mind. The smallest child need not be taught that good and evil, right and wrong, exists and that there are consequences. Paul also tells us that a culture at its lowest, a God-denying culture, while shaking its fist in the face of God, knows there will be a judgment after death. God has put eternity in the heart of every man. Yet, despite their fear of death, the unconquerable enemy, they prefer judgment rather then the reality of the offer of the gift of eternal life to all those who will humbly confess their sin. their need of the Savior, and put their faith in the One who defeated death for the repentant sinner. A man need not be a slave to the enemy who delightfully wields the weapon of death to enchain him. He can know the truth experientially, and the truth will set him free!"

As those set free, we must prayerfully and wordfully seek those in the culture seeking the Savior. We must by the Spirit's enabling point the lost and fearful to the One who broke the chains of death to set the slaves to sin and the devil free. We must not be appalled at their sin, but at their blindness, and pray that God can use us to show them that they can be more than conquerors through the loving, freeing, work of the cross.

Do we not know as God's child that death has no power over us? Do we not know that God has prepared an eternal place for us in the Father's House--where death and sorrow will never set its foot? Do we not know that He walks hand in hand with us through death, diminishing its substance to but a shadow, dispelling the fear of its evil and replacing it with the comfort of His rod and staff, His presence? Do we not know that he who has put his faith in The Resurrection and the Life shall never die? Do we know that to be absent from the body is to pass from life to death, to forever be in His presence? How can we not tell them!

And is not death for the believer an opportunity to speak in our last moments of the wonders of His grace? And can we not cry out by His empowering grace that at the weakest physical moment of our life, we will win the greatest spiritual victory? "There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus." Can we not by resting in His love for us and His promise of life-unending cry out, "We serve a Living Savior! He is risen! The tomb is empty! Death has no grip on us! He alone can rescue you from the fear of the powerless, defeated, enemy death through your trusting in His freely offered gift of eternal life through the shed blood of His son.

"Oh, death, God has given us the victory over you and your "enslaver." "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

"Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian! Lift up your voice and sing, eternal Hallelujahs through Jesus Christ, your King, the Hope of all who seek Him, the Help of all who find . . . You ask me how I know He lives, He lives within my heart!"

Truth 10

 Truth 10

Someone else has said, "Simplicity carried to extremes is elegance." We live in a world and Christian community that believes that spectacular is proof of authenticity. We should expect the world to have that viewpoint. But not the church. But we are being told that the faithful disciple will have all his diseases cured, be financially prosperous, know his future, experience unabated excitement, and so on.

Jesus, however, defined discipleship this way.

"In the world you will have tribulation."

"My strength is made perfect in weakness."

"Deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow me."

"You must drink the cup that I drink."

"Lay not up for yourself treasures on earth were moth and rust destroy, and thieves break in and steal."

Jesus was called a man of sorrows, having no place to lay His head, despised, denied and deserted by His closest friends when He needed them the most.

Don't be drawn away from the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus. Serve Him in the dusty road of every day living. Demonstrate your confidence in His love by living a life of contentment no matter your circumstances. Embrace the sorrows that He uses to make you a comforter of others, an ambassador of the God of All Comfort. Use whatever resources He has given you to touch the lives of the poor and oppressed in the church and in your neighborhood. Make the majesty of Jesus undeniable in the humdrum of your everyday walk in obedience to Him. Now, that's "spectacular."

Truth 9

 Truth Number 9

Someone has said, "There is no substitute for excellence, not even success." God's Word puts it this way, "Whatever you do, do it with all your might." "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." Whatever we are called to do, we should do to the best of our ability. And the "measuring stick" in God's eyes is not ability but diligence. We are not just doing an "assignment," or meeting the requirements of men. We are striving to please God, not men. He is the one for whom we do all things; thus, nothing we do--even eating and drinking, are mundane and unworthy of our use of all the time and resources He has given us. Don't ever settle for "that's enough to get by," or that's enough for "the A." Would Jesus say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Truth 8

 Truth Number 8:

I cannot go through life without suffering. I must then have the right view of suffering. The book of Job explains it to us. It's interesting that the first written communication from God to man is based on the truth that the righteous suffer. The immature believer's view of suffering is that all suffering is proof that someone sinned, and the greater the suffering, the greater the sin must have been. Satan's view is that if he can make us suffer will deny God. God's view was that Job was strong enough in his faith that Satan could not turn him away. And who was right? God's vote of confidence in Job's faith was correct. What was the expression of Job's faith? "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." "I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in my flesh, I shall see God." "He knows the way that I take, and when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold." See suffering as God sees it--a reflection of His confidence in you to remain firm to the end.

Truth Seventh

 As someone has said, "The devil's biggest lie is that there are no consequences." it's a lie he first presented in the Garden: "You won't die." You reap what you sow--good for good, evil for evil--is a law of God's universe. God will forgive anything I do, but that does not eliminate consequences in this life. I have never made a choice without experiencing consequences. Sadly, the negative consequences are shared by those who love me the most--or they joyfully share in God's blessings on my good choices. God even warns me that my choices may impact the lives of those three of four generations down the road. (How I respond to finding myself so impacted is another devotional--see Daniel.) The devil has always wanted us to believe that God can't or won't hold us accountable for the choices we make. Choose wisely and prayerfully.

Truth 6

 Foundational Truth 6 in our Christian Walk:

We need to keep in touch with--be honest about--our depravity and weakness. But when we are honest about the depths of our sinfulness, it shouldn't lead to a pity-party or a spurt of self-help, bootstrap Christianity--"I'll do better." What it should lead to is a celebration of praise for the wonder of God's grace and forgiveness. And a confidence in His ability to save anyone.

When I am in touch with my weaknesses, it causes me to rely solely on His sufficient, inexhaustible grace for my spiritual strength. It was to a church with the most problems--a carnality brought on by spiritual pride--that Paul emphasized the necessity of weakness. Even when I feel stagnant or far away from God in rebellion, I am not. Oh, I may be in rebellion, but He is never far away. "Underneath are the Everlasting Arms." I can fall no farther than into my God's loving and protecting arms. He seeks the sheep who has wandered away and lifts him into His arms to bring him back to the intimacy of the fold. It may very well be that when I think that I am farther away from God than I have ever been, that in actuality, I have never been closer. He is waiting to catch me and bring me home in His omnipotent, loving embrace. Only when I stop relying on my own spiritual strength can I walk in His omnipotent grace--a life filled with praise for His forgiveness--eternally and moment-by-moment--of my sins and weaknesses.

Darkness

 It was after dark this evening when I finally got around to hauling the trash can down the driveway and out to the road. After dark comes early these days. The sky is overcast tonight--no moon, no stars, no flickering airplanes lights criss-crossing the sky--just darkness. The only lights are small squares in the windows of neighbors' homes, the outdoor lights installed by some folks (have to make sure the raccoons don't get lost), the flash of headlights on the car driving by out on 25 followed by the warning reds of the tail lights. The only light at The Acres is one of the front porch lights. The other, it seems, has joined me in retirement.

The only sound was the scrape of the wheels of my trash can a long the gravel driveway. All else was still--quiet. Half-way back I stopped and soaked in the darkness and the silence. The physical darkness is no threat to me of course. Even in this country darkness the eyes adjust and one can see well enough to navigate. No fear of getting lost here.

As I stood, quietly meditating, the Spirit reminded me that even the spiritual darkness that we encounter in our journey with Him has no ability to harm us. There is no darkness to Him. He will lead me by the light of the lamp of His Word. His vision of what lies ahead for me is as clear and radiant as the light of the brightest day. I will not spend one second in what appears to be deep darkness to me without my hand resting in the hand of the Light of the World, the ever Faithful One. My prayer, of course, as I have mentioned, is that in the deepest darkness, the light of His glory will shine through me lifting Him up for all to see. "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven." Such a prayer should resonate in our hearts every breath of the journey--even--especially--the last one.

And may our hearts be broken for those we love--for all men--who walk in darkness thinking they walk in the light. Proclaiming themselves to be wise, they love with darkened hearts the darkness of the world. Thinking the treasure they find is the light, they embrace the darkness that leads to eternal destruction--the eternal life of outer darkness. Only the Spirit can open the eyes of those who think they walk in light, but walk blindfolded in the devil's world of illusion--delusion. There can be no greater darkness. But the power of the Spirit working in a man or woman's heart can dispel the darkness and lead them into the kingdom of the Dear Son--the Eternal King who is the Eternal Light of the World.

In our darkest hours may our submission to the power of God that works within us radiate the beautiful Light that brings praise to Him and draws those in darkness to His brightness. May we look at those around us and plead on bent knees with the Spirit to open their eyes to the only Light of the World. And to give us opportunities to tell them of His love for them. God sent His Son into the world not to condemn men but to redeem men. May our lives and prayers be dedicated to His purpose.

Fullness

 What did you do with the gift God gave you yesterday? What gift? November 21, 2020. I love this phrase from the Old Testament when God is speaking of the death of one of His loved ones: "he died satisfied, full of days."

Was your day another full day in His presence feasting on His goodness, love and mercy in your life? Mine began early with another pounding of rain on my roof accompanied by the moans and rattling of the limbs in the wind. Beautiful. Then, He gave me silent times to write on facebook, and by prayer to submit those words to Him to use to touch another life. Letters and notes--real mail and internet mail--to encourage me and lift my spirits flooded in. Lunch and conversation at the one place I know the food will taste good filled the afternoon with joy and laughter. Is there any greater gift than the presence of loving, caring friends? On the way home, on a whim, I tried Duck Donuts. Had never had them before and expected them to taste terrible, but I had to try, right? They were delicious! A miracle. No, a truly a miracle. Home--Brad dropped by. Great time with the oldest of my beloved sons getting some things ready, talking about baseball, listening. And Ben said he's going to drop by later today. Finally, an evening of reading, praying, listening to music as the darkness fell and the last of the Cardinals flew off into the trees--they will be back for breakfast. Yes, He filled my day with a deep sense of His presence! May He continue to strengthen me for each day He gives me, give me eyes to see His marvelous providence in each moment, and immerse me in the joy of another day. May I go to see Him having lived a life full of full days.

Truth Five

 Truth Number 5 for the Christian Walk

No matter how much I desire to please God, I will mess up--sin. That does not make me a hypocrite. A hypocrite is someone who applies the truth to everyone else but himself. He may even do a lot of the right things, but always for the wrong reason--spiritual pride. In reality the real hypocrites are those who sit around criticizing Christians who are struggling to become what God wants them to be. No struggle is more difficult. Hypocrites are the ones too afraid or rebellious to allow God to mold them into His likeness. They live only for the applause of men. Don't let them label you as a hypocrite. They are wrong. What you are is a growing Christian--and God is delighted with you.

The Last Miracle

 The last miracle: The child of God goes from being corrupt and mortal to being made--in one breath--incorruptible, incapable of being defiled, and immortal in order to live eternally with Him. Just meditate on that for a few moments, shout out your "thank yous," and let your heart sing.

Fourth Truth

 Foundational Truth Number Four for the Christian Walk:

Every moment of my life I live in the presence of God. Everything I say, every jest I make, every joke I tell, every act I do, I make Him a participant. There is no prayer we should pray more often than that God will constantly keep us aware of His presence. What an impact that should have on my every decision and non-decision. It makes every one significant. I will live in the fear of the Lord, making every decision on how it will impact my relationship with Him

Number Three

 Foundational Truth Number Three for Walking the Christian Life:

I cannot love unconditionally without being hurt. If I am going to love people as God loves me, I am going to be hurt, taken advantage of, even betrayed. I must love anyway. I must love more deeply. My first response must be forgiveness not self-defense. I have the greatest accountability in every relationship; yet, I am the least important person in the relationship. Their needs are more important than mine. The qualities of unconditional love are compassion, patience, and truth. Jesus never looked on the multitude without being moved with compassion regardless of their reasons for searching Him out. And His compassion always produced a compassionate act. Patience allows me to love a person where they are, allowing God, through His Spirit to work in that person's life in His way and in His timing. (I usually find that the things that cause me to lose my patience with others are the things that God is trying to correct in my life.) Truth is essential because any love that is not within the parameters of revealed truth is no longer love. Paul always prays that the church will grow in love and truth. They are inseparable. "If you love Me, keep My commandments" "This is the first commandment: Thou shalt love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength."

His Hands at Work

 "But we sorrow not as those who have no hope."

What a reflection of God's loving hand in our lives! He gives to each of His children the empowering gift of sorrow for it is through the pathway of sorrow that He teaches us the surety of our sure hope. It is through our sorrows that He fortifies our lives with a deep, unshakable, confidence in our hope. And hope, Paul tells us, makes us not ashamed but instead, the Spirit uses our confidence in His promised eternal hope do effuse our hearts with His love--to spread it abroad into every fiber of our being. And what can contain the infinite love of God from flowing through us into a world of sorrow? A world with a sorrow that has no hope. A sorrow that should break our hearts for them.

Do you see His hand moving? He takes our hand and leads us down the path of sorrow. Then, He uses that sorrow to instill within us the depth of our surety in the promised hope--the depth He knows we will need for where He leads us next. Then, He takes the love He has poured into every inch of our heart and enables us to pour it out on others desperately in need of comfort, a sure hope, an inescapable Love. It is impossible to love others as God loves without embracing the sorrow He brings into our lives.

And those empty places in our lives because of the ones we have temporarily lost will one day be filled again with their presences. But it will be an eternal filling, a filling that will be eternal, immune to all sorrows and impossible to ever be lost.

Embrace the sorrow. Stand unwavering on the promised Rock of our sure hope. Let the Spirit make you living proof that the hope is real and that the God who gives you the hope desires to love all those He brings into your life who are in need of such a hope and such an inescapable love.

We sorrow not as those who have no hope but as those called to walk the path of sorrows with the Man of Sorrows and bring a lost world to know His love, and then by the Spirit's wooing, to embrace Him as their loving companion on the journey of sorrow, sacrificial love, and unending joy.

Truth Number Two for the Christian Walk

 Foundational Truth Number Two for Walking the Christian Walk.

It is impossible for me to live the Christian life. I do not have the ability to spiritualize the natural man. It is only as the Holy Spirit controls my every thought and action that the life of Christ can be evident to the world around me. Every attempt to live the Christian life in my own power--self-will--leads to failure and exhaustion. I can't do it. The only way to give the Spirit control over my life is to saturate myself with His Word--the Sword of the Spirit. Hebrews 4;12-16 tells me that the Word reveals to me how God sees me so that I can run to Him in prayer: the prayer of "HELP"--I need your grace and mercy!! As He takes more and more control, I begin to "naturally" do the supernatural--walk as Jesus walked.

Walking

 Foundational Truth Number One for the Christian Walk:

My Christian life is not divided into compartments--it is all I do. There is nothing in my life that is not sacred. If I am faithful as a student and at home, but not where I work, something is wrong with my walk. If I am a faithful student but not at home something is wrong. It is not where I am but who I am that is important--and a true measurement of my Christian maturity.

Distractions

 The enemy is always trying to distract us from focusing on God's purpose for redeeming us, placing in our position of service, giving us the power of the Spirit to reside within us. That purpose? It never changes: make the invisible God visible by submitting to His will and being transformed into His likeness.

Sometimes the distraction is personal: physical, financial, emotional, relational. The focus becomes our well-being. Sometimes the distraction is where we work. Things are happening to hinder our goals--things over which we have no control, things we would never have imagined that we would ever have to face. The focus becomes the mole-hills and mountains before us that all seem impossible to scale. Sometimes the distraction is related to our family. Worry, deep legitimate concerns and uncertainties add additional anxieties to our day. Our focus becomes those that we love most dearly. Sometimes the distraction is in the church. We see a slow but sure drifting away from our moorings--the teaching of God's Word and--above all else--the praise and lifting up of the Living Word. The focus becomes the weakening of the Gospel, our effectiveness before the watching world. Sometimes the distraction is in the world around us. Things are chaotic on the best days. Evil men are growing worse and worse-just as He warned us they would. We are being put on trial before a watching world--which is exactly where He wants us to be--but our focus becomes their behavior and not our own need for revival.

God is not opposed to our well-being. He is deeply concerned about it. God is not opposed to our doing our work all to His glory. He commands it. God is not opposed to our loving and caring for our families. He put them into our care. God is not concerned about His church. In fact, when He judges and purifies that's where He always begins. God is not opposed to our warfare with the watching world as long as the weapons we wield are grounded in His love and always reflect it.

But there is one thing we must always understand about those "distractions." They are part of His will for our lives. There is nothing random about them. He who knows us far better than we know ourselves has brought these faith tests into our lives that we might by embracing them as acts of love designed for us, to allow us, to lift up Christ in our lives so the watching world can behold His beauty and power. We must as we face these "distractions"--usually all at once--ask: what Lord do I need to learn from these things to become more and more like You? How do I surrender more of me that my image might be more of You? What opportunities do You want me to seize to demonstrate Your love to all around me? And as I pursue these things, He will make me more than a conqueror in the midst of all the enemy's distractions. Our confidence in Him will show those watching our sure hope in His control and concern for us. Our casting off our reliance on our own strength will exclaim that we can do all things, but only through His love. Our families will find our love for them as deep and marvelous as His love for His Son. Our fidelity to the Written Word and the Living Word will encourage others in their faithful endurance for Him. Our warfare of holy love will draw some out of the chaos and evil and into the kingdom of His Son.

To be more like Him; to make Him visible is the one thing He desires to do in my life. Nothing else matters.

Outlandish

 Sometimes we judge the "outlandish" behavior of others as caustic hatred for God when it's actually the signs of a deep desperation for God. And we in our arrogance by deed and words turn away from them. What they need is our love for them in His name.. Love is a wonderful spiritual appetizer--a crying out to their hearts--"O taste and see that the Lord is good."

He Promised

 I confess. There are some promises of God that I have a difficult time wrapping my struggling faith around.

For Example-:

When I see Him, I shall be like Him for I will see Him as He is.

He will wipe every tear from my eyes.

So shall I ever be with the Lord.

How can such things be?

Because He promised.

Just Because

 Just because God isn't answering your prayer the way you wanted/expected/demanded that He would that doesn't mean that He isn't answering your request in accordance to His perfect will for your life. He is working to make your life a testimony to His resplendent glory.

You can respond to His answers in two ways. Complain and murmur and spend your time in the wilderness devoid of rest. I can't imagine! Or you can embrace His answers and find the rest He has for you in the wilderness. Perhaps we have not yet accepted that the place of rest is always on the battlefield.

Perspective

 Perspective:

Paul's perspective--attitude toward--His relationship with God--daily, moment-by-moment--challenges me. In all his letters to the churches, he identifies himself as "a bond-slave" of Jesus Christ. Bond-slave. Nothing material or immaterial belonged to Him. They were all gifts from His Master. Money, time, assignments, friends, wisdom, strength, plans, trials, children, place of service, his future, times of rest--everything is my Masters provision for me. Daily prayers of gratitude are essential--"In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus." Daily prayers of humility are essential. "Without You Lord, I can do nothing. I need You to provide the daily strength and wisdom to fulfill my responsibilities for all these marvelous gifts of love. To be ready to give an account.

Because Paul daily presented himself as a living sacrifice to God, he could testify that in the difficult times he found God's grace to be sufficient, even empowering. And when the end of his earthly responsibilities rose up before him, he could testify, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course." Paul embraced the truth that his present moments and his future moments were the Master's choices in his surrendering all as a bond-slave to Him--placing his confidence in His love and His wisdom and His provision.

Paul lovingly served His Master so the how and the why and the when were not an issue. His perfect, pleasing will for Paul's life could be reflected in Paul's confident acceptance of that will no matter what.

May I daily rejoice in the privilege of being the bond-slave of my Savior and Master. "Oh Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end. May His grace make it so.